1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to diphenyldiamides and plastics and more particularly to dicyanophenylalkanediamides and polyphthalocyanine plastics.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since the two nitrile groups on each ring of the N,N'-bis(3,4-dicyanophenyl) alkanediamides of this invention form the phthalocyanine nucleus, these compounds are referred to hereinafter as bisorthodinitriles.
Resin is used herein in its conventional sense. It is any of a large class of high molecular weight substances having a tendency to flow when subjected to stress and is used chiefly in plastics and adhesives or for ion exchange. A resin is either a very viscous liquid or solid that softens gradually when heated in its uncured state. Curing is the process by which a substance irreversibly changes physical states through a chemical reaction. With a resin, curing causes no evolution of volatile materials and this is considered a major advantage of resins. After a resin is cured, the compound is referred to as a plastic.
A major disadvantage of known resins and plastics is the inability to withstand temperatures in excess of 200.degree. C for more than a few hours without permanent damage to the coating, adhesive, or articles made therefrom. Most completely decompose at 200.degree. C. This drawback arises from the instability of the chemical bonds occuring in the presently used resins and plastics.
A chemical structure possessing greater thermal stability than the linkages used in known resins, e.g., urethane, epoxide, polysulfide, or amide is the phthalocyanine nucleus. It is theorized that the previous attempts to form high molecular weight resins with this structure have failed mainly because of steric difficulties encountered in forming the extremely flat phthalocyanine polymer. Exemplary of prior efforts is the reacting of a tetrabasic acid derivative with a metal salt, urea, and vanadata or molybdate promoter, or cocondensing tetracyanodiphenyl ether and phthaklonitrile with copper bronze. These, like the other approaches, only produce a monomer or a low molecular weight polymer. No phthalocyanine polymer of the infinite molecular weight type or one with a high molecular weight has yet been produced.